Live meetings are back on the agenda as South Korea’s biggest battery expo, “Inter Battery,” opened on Wednesday, when the social distancing measures were lowered to Level 1.
Among the 198 companies showcasing their battery technologies at the expo are: LG Chem, Samsung SDI and SK Innovation.
As Korea’s battery powerhouses boasted their technologies, also hovering over the expo was the word “safety” due to the recent cases of fire from EVs loaded with Korean-made batteries.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport released a statement on 8 October, which said there is a “possibility” that separators inside batteries might have been compromised to cause short circuits and trigger fires, adding uncertainties with an incomplete result. Director general of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Choi Nam-ho was at the event and asked companies about the “heating issue”.
Aware of controversy surrounding its rivals, SK Innovation’s theme for the expo, “Safer than ever, faster than ever, longer than ever” was written on one side of the booth.
An SK Innovation official introduced to Choi the company’s “Z-folding” separator technology, which would enhance the batteries’ stability. Moreover, the SK Innovation official said it has sold more than 70 million battery cells but not a single EV has caught on fire.
When the tour ended, SK Innovation’s battery business chief Jee Dong-seob shared his thoughts on the recent EV fires with reporters.
“EV fires are not someone else’s problem and SK Innovation is always on alert. Batteries’ price competitiveness and performance are important, but safety must be a top priority,” Jee said.
Regarding a lawsuit with LG Chem, Jee said SK Innovation was open to talks.
SK Innovation is waiting for the final ruling from the US International Trade Commission relating to a trade secret lawsuit LG Chem filed against the company last April. If the USITC judges the company to be in default at its final ruling set for Oct. 26, SK Innovation will have to halt imports of electric vehicle batteries, parts and manufacturing equipment to the US.
As to whether SK Innovation will split off its battery business just like LG Chem, Jee said he is reviewing options.
Image: Director general of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Choi Nam-ho (center) and SK Innovation’s battery business chief Jee Dong-seob (left) listen to the presentation on the company’s “Z-folding” separator technology at Inter Battery expo held at Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. (Kim Byung-wook/The Korea Herald)
